FLAXMILLERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3740, 12 January 1907, Page 3

FLAXMILLERS.

The Grading of Fibre.

Daring his recent visit to Southland the Under - Secretary for Agriculture, Mr J. D. Ritchie, met the members of the Southland Flaxmillers’ Association and local merchants at Invercargill in re-

gard to complaints that have been made that the Government system jof flax grading was not satisfacb, I torv. Messrs C. J. Fulton A (Chief Fibre Expert) and Mr r ’ Middlemiss) pidep-ak- BIuf? \vere -A, in attendance. The principle complaint was made by Mr Raymond, a local miller, who objected to the manner in which some of his fibre had been treated in being placed as “common” instead of “fair,” and he expressed no confidence in the grader. He also complained that the standard ot grading had been raised from 5 to j points at the very least, and that it had no right to be so raised. This raising of the standard prevented millers getting “ good fair” grade. The Chief Grader, Mr Fulton, declared that he had every confidence in his grading staff. There seemed to be an impression If; that the standard of grades had I ten raised, but that was not so. P , He pointed out that at the beginI? Lniug the graders were called upon ij. ||td do an immence amount of work, ■ the same attention could •-‘-not be paid to the fibre as could now be done with an increased staff and better organisation. The more thorough examinations now made produced better grading, and the result might be that the points were not so rapidly con*, ceded. ~Mr Ritchie said it appeared to him that the matter was really a dispute between the grader and Mr Raymond. He would make full enquiry into the matter, and if there was anything wrong, endeavour to rectify it. ’ There was no doubt that the grading had resulted in more equality in the quality of the (fibre now exported. He promised that Mr Stewart would be available as instructor in Southland as jjoon as possible. —Times.